Will you miss not seeing the Class 1A Division II state high school basketball championships being hosted at Gross Memorial Coliseum on the campus of Fort Hays State University this year? (FHSU and KSHSAA has decided to relocate this year's tournament to Dodge City since the FHSU women have the possibility of hosting an NCAA Division II regional tourney.)

It's 7:30 a.m. and another cold morning, with the temperature in the single digits. The wind chill has to be way below zero. I stepped out on the porch for a few seconds, and the wind bit at my face. We also are getting more snow. What a crisp, clean scene we have with a layer of freshly fallen snow on the ground.

My husband, Joe, left for work at 3:45 a.m., and daughter Elizabeth left at 5:15 a.m. When Elizabeth left, Joe's tracks out of the driveway were covered with new snow. Our house can be a bit of a challenge to heat when the wind chill is this cold. The propane gas lights really help heat the house, and we keep them on a little longer than usual. We ordered a "jacket" for our coal stove in the basement. It will go around the stove and has a door on it so we can control how much heat will stay in the basement. That way we can keep the basement warmer only on laundry days when we use the basement. I think that will help bring more heat up to the main part of the house, especially on cold, windy days such as today.

Tomorrow, I will go help make sub sandwiches for a benefit to help a young family with hospital bills from this community. The father was diagnosed with a rare cancer and has been getting treatments at Mayo Clinic, if I'm not mistaken. The mother also has had several surgeries in the past year or two. They have two small children; it always is rewarding to help with those needs. May God help them through this trial in life and grant them the courage to face the unknown future. With God, all things are possible.

We were told to dress warmly tomorrow with the cold weather. We will be making the subs in an insulated outside building that is heated. With the doors opening and closing all the time, it can cool it down quickly.

We have completed our third 1,000-piece puzzle this winter. Evenings are enjoyable working around the puzzle while we each talk about our day. Hearing that cold wind blowing outside makes it seem even more cozy and comfortable inside. Our neighbor lady, Irene, gave us two 1,000-piece puzzles last year. One is a Darrell Bush puzzle we want to glue for one of the children to hang in their bedroom. The only problem is more than one of the children want it, so we might have to draw names. It is called "Autumn at the Lake," a scene of a log cabin by the lake with a dock and a boat.

Whole wheat waffles

3 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons sugar

1âÑ4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

11âÑ2 cups whole wheat flour

1âÑ2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

Beat egg yolks, sugar and oil. Add 1âÑ2 of the milk and stir. Add dry ingredients and remainder of milk. Mix until blended. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Fry over medium heat in heated waffle iron.